Building structure

ABSTRACT

A plurality of laminated ribs are anchored to a circular base and extend upwardly and inwardly to a top cone to which they are secured. Strips of insulating board are secured transversely around the ribs in overlapping relationship and a sealing strip covers the junction between adjacent ends of the board. The building can be insulated internally and finished conventionally if desired.

[451 Apr. 15, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Cartier 10/1973 Chamlee............................. 52/82 X BUILDING STRUCTURE [76] lnventor: Thomas H. Cartier, 145 Owen Street, Bar ie, O t i C d Primary ExaminerFrank L. Abbott Nov. 26, 1973 Assistant Examiner-Carl D. Friedman Attorney, Agent, or FirmStanley G. Ade

[22] Filed:

Appl. No: 418,891

ABSTRACT A plurality of laminated ribs are anchor 4 5 2 6 $00 7. t 51 .oo 0/ 2 m5 h e s f lapping relationship and a sealing strip covers the junction between adjacent ends of the board. The building can be insulated internally and finished conventionally if desired.

S T N w A P CS SE mT S e m W N U Q U 52/86 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 604,277 5/1898 2,522,067 9/1950 Sperry............. 2,852,109 9/1958 1 BUILDING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improve' ments in building structures which can be used for many purposes. Building structures are usually relatively expensive both in materials used and labor to erect same and although prefabrication reduces costs somewhat it is not fully utilized in the construction industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by the provision of a prefabricated structure which is easily erected and which can be used for many purposes.

The building is substantially circular when viewed in plan and the outer walls curve upwardly and inwardly to a common apex. The building can be adapted for use as a residence, as an enclosure for chickens, cattle or other farm animals or equipment or as a temporary or permanent shelter. or for any other type of building desired.

The principal object and essence of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is economical to manufacture and erect.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can be adapted for many uses depending upon the desires of the purchaser.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can be erected upon a circular wooden floor or a concrete slab.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can be finished internally in a variety of ways particularly if same is designed for use as a residence. Furthermore partitions, windows, and doors are easily inserted within the structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and other such objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the erected structure with the walls partially in place.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the ribs together with a portion of the interior and exterior sheathing.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the outer sheath showing one method of attaching and sealing the outer sheathing.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of FIG. 1 reduced in scale with respect thereto.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged section showing the preferred embodiment of metal sealing strips.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference should be made to the drawings in which 10 illustrates a circular base which can be either manufactured from wood or can be in the form of a concrete slab.

A circular band of steel or the like identified by reference character 11 is secured around the outer perimeter of the base 10 and extends upwardly above the upper surface 12 of the base as clearly shown in FIG.

A plurality of arcuately curved ribs collectively designated 13 are secured around the perimeter of the base and extend upwardly and inwardly therefrom, said ribs being spaced equidistantly apart and preferably on 16 inches centers at the bases thereof.

Each rib 13 is preferably manufactured from strips of spruce or the like to form a laminated structure. In the present embodiment. a pair of strips 14 and 15 extend the full length of the rib and an inner strip 16 extends part way up the rib in order to give additional strength to the ribs where they are relatively wide apart, it being understood that the upper ends 17 of the ribs converge towards a common apex indicated by reference character 18.

The strips 14, 15 and 16 are secured together by nails 19 with the inner ends 20' clinched over thus forming a solid rib structure and these ribs are curved either during forming by steam or the like or, under certain circumstances, during the erection of the structure. They may also be formed with a narrowing width as they approach the upper ends to facilitate curving or bending.

The ribs are secured to the inner surface of the upstanding portion of the circular band 11 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 20 and are secured to the underside periphery of an apical cone 21 also by nut and bolt assemblies 20A. The cone is preferably formed of sheet metal and overlaps the upper ends of the ribs as clearly shown.

Once the frame has been erected, an outer cover may be applied to the outer surface of the ribs.

In the present embodiment, this outer cover consists of elongated rectangular lengths of insulated fibreboard 22 the ends of which terminate substantially on the longitudinal center line of convenient ribs 13 to which they are nailed with conventional fibreboard nails.

It is preferable that the lengths of board 22 are staggered insofar as the ends are concerned and that the longitudinal edges of board overlap one another in a manner similar to a shingled roof to give rain shedding properties to the structure.

A metal sealing strip 23 approximately 4 inches wide and having a length equal to the width ofthe board plus approximately 2 inches overlap at either end for fastening is then secured to the ribs to cover the abutting ends 24 of the adjacent lengths of board 22.

The insulated board is normally waterproof but it can be covered with a sealing material if desired (not illustrated).

If the structure is designed for use as a residence, they styrofoam insulation 25 may be sprayed upon the inner suface of the boards and ribs and then an inner sheathing material 26 may be applied either in overlapping relationship similar to the boards 22 or in butting relationship depending upon the finish desired. This sheathing material may be painted, stained or papered as desired.

A doorway 27 may be cut in the structure after erection and windows may also be inserted although these are not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 5 shows the preferred embodiment of the metal sealing strip. A rectangular length of sheet metal 23A is counter angulated as at 28 and this is nailed to the rib 13 as at 23B prior to the next boards being secured to the rib. The portion 28 overlaps the board 22 below by the amount the next board 22A will overlap same.

The ends of the next boards 22A are abutted and are secured to the rib l3 and sit within the channel formed by the counter angulation 28 whereupon the outer portion 29 is bent into contact with the boards 22A and nailed into position upon the rib as at 23C in order to cover the junction.

It will be observed that a relatively economical and quickly erected structure has been provided which can be used for many different purposes depending upon the desires of the ultimate user and that the abutting ends of boards 22 are sealed readily and easily by means of the metal sealing strips or portions 23.

Various modifications may be constructed or performed within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed. Therefore what has been set forth is intended to illustrate such concept and is not for the purpose of limiting protection to any herein particularly described embodiment thereof.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A building structure comprising in combination a circular base, a plurality of ribs secured by one end thereof in spaced relationship around the periphery of said base and curving upwardly and inwardly towards a common apex, a sealing cone secured to the upper ends of said ribs, and an exterior cover secured to said ribs, said cover comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular elongated strips of board secured transversely around said ribs in overlapping relationship one row with the other and sealing strips covering the abutting ends of adjacent lengths of board, said sealing strips comprising a substantially rectangular piece of metal stripping counter angulated to form a pocket for receiving said abutting ends and having a lower attaching portion extending therefrom for attaching said strips to an associated rib on the underside of said abutting ends, and an upper attaching portion extending therefrom for attaching to the same rib but spaced above said lower attaching portion, said pocket enclosing said abutting ends of said boards, said upper attaching portion being angulated downwardly at the upper edges of said abutting ends and then being angulated to lie substantially parallel to and in contact with said rib and underneath the length of board immediately above said abutting ends and which overlies said upper portion of said abutting ends.

2. The structure according to claim 1 in which said base includes a circular band surrounding said base and extending upwardly therefrom, the lower ends of said ribs being secured to the inside of said band, said ribs being of laminated construction. 

1. A building structure comprising in combination a circular base, a plurality of ribs secured by one end thereof in spaced relationship around the periphery of said base and curving upwardly and inwardly towards a common apex, a sealing cone secured to the upper ends of said ribs, and an exterior cover secured to said ribs, said cover comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular elongated strips of board secured transversely around said ribs in overlapping relationship one row with the other and sealing strips covering the abutting ends of adjacent lengths of board, said sealing strips comprising a substantially rectangular piece of metal stripping counter angulated to form a pocket for receiving said abutting ends and having a lower attaching portion extending therefrom for attaching said strips to an associated rib on the underside of said abutting ends, and an upper attaching portion extending therefrom for attaching to the same rib but spaced above said lower attaching portion, said pocket enclosing said abutting ends of said boards, said upper attaching portion being angulated downwardly at the upper edges of said abutting ends and then being angulated to lie substantially parallel to and in contact with said rib and underneath the length of board immediately above said abutting ends and which overlies said upper portion of said abutting ends.
 2. The structure according to claim 1 in which said base includes a circular band surrounding said base and extending upwardly therefrom, the lower ends of said ribs being secured to the inside of said band, said ribs being of laminated construction. 